Method and means for use in lasting shoes



"May .20 I924.

L. o. PICKETT METHOD-KN!) MEANS FOR USE IN LASTING SHOE Filed Dec. 18. 1920 Patented ltlay 2U), 1%24.

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IIYIlZAN O. PICKETT, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOE MA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATER-SON, NEW JERSEY, A GORE'ORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR USE IN LASTING SHOES.

Application filed December 18, 1820.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LYMAN O. PIoKE'rT,

a citizen of the United States. residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and 5 State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Methods and Means for Use in Lasting Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to shoe making and particularly to lasting shoes.

lVhen shoes, particularly McKay sewed shoes, were lasted by hand it was found expedient to prepare the upper for this operation by not-ching or slitting the toe end of the vamp so that the margin of the upper materials might be gathered over the toe of the insole without undesirable bunching. After the introduction of modern machinery for use in lasting, notching of the upper was effected after the pulling-over operation by the use of a notching tool of the type illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 591,099 to Carter, and on certain kinds of shoes it was preferred to slit the margin of theupper and pleat it smoothly instead of removing the surplus stock.

In the more recent development of the art of shoe making, the surplus material of the upper at the toe has usually been removed. preparatory to laying the outsole, in a separate operation performed on the lasted shoe.

355 As an alternative, modifications of lasting machinery have been suggested which include a trimming tool mounted w'th suitable actuating mechanism as a part of the machine, and hand operated tools have also been used while the margin of the upper materials is clamped by the wipers of the lasting machine.

The lasting of shoes is one of the important steps in their manufacture. both in the effect on the subsequent operations, and on the quality and appearance of the shoes; and an object of this invention is to improve this part of shoe manufacture by the provision of a novel method whereby the surplus upper materials may be severed while the shoe is in lasting position, and by providing improved means which may be utilized in carrying out this method. The method may be followed by using, to oper- Serial No. 431,625.

ate a trimming tool, a machine of the tyge which com-prises means to gather the marginof the upper and wipe it inwardly over the shoe bottom. The tool herein shown is formed with an abutment, and in accordance withthe new method of operation, as herein illustrated. may be operated by engagement of the abutment with the moving upper-gathering members or wipers of the machine. A further novel feature of this trimming tool is a construction by reason of which the trimming tool is so shaped that it may be used as a spreader, to be placed in engagement with the upper materials as these are being wiped over the edge of the insole, to force the margin backwardly over the uppei gathering members or wipers. This serves the double purpose of indicating by a sharp crease 111st how much of these materials should be removed, and of placing the upper materials under considerable tension as they are being gathered or wiped over the insole, thus conforming the upp r closely to the last. In accordance with the method hereinafter more fully disclosed, the crease so formed is utilized as a guide in the trimming operation.

The novel method, and novel features of the tool provided by this invention will be more fully described in connection with an illustrative apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of so much of a lasting machine as is necessary to understand the invention. showing the improved tool used as a spreader; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing its use as a trimming device.

For convenience of illustration the invention is shown in connection with a machine indicated generally at 10 and which may be constructed in accordance with United States Patent No. 1.018377, issued on an application filed by Matthias Brock, the illus trated machine having a toe support 12, and wipers 14. which gather the upper and wipe it over the insole.

In carrying out my improved method of lasting, there is used in combination with this lasting machine a novel tool which comprises a handle 20 and a loop-shaped trimming element or head 22 at right angles to the handle. As is illustrated in Fig. 1, the head 22 is curved similarly to the wiper edges and is so shaped that it may be used as a spreader in forcing the materials of the upper backwardly over the wipers 14, as they are forced inwardly over the insole. The inner edge of the head 22 is sharpened to form a cutting edge 24 curved to corre spond substantially to the curvature of the wiper edges when the wipers are closed over the shoe bottom, and an abutment 26 is provided on the upper surface for co-operation with the wipers 14 during the trimming operation, the abutment forming an angle with the adjacent portion of the tool to receive the edges of the wipers.

There is placed on the toe support 12 a last 30, on which has been secured in the usual way an insole 32 and about which has been assembled an upper 34. The wipers 14 are advanced as is usual in the operation of this form of lasting machine to gather the upper materials and draw and wipe them over the insole 32. During this movement of the wipers my improved tool is held by the workman as shown in Fig. 1, to force the margin of the upper materials backwardly over the advancing wipers. This serves, as previously pointed out, the double purpose of increasing the strain exerted on the upper by the wipers, and of forming a sharp crease which may be utilized to indicate what portion of the upper margin should be severed.

Thewipers may then be withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 2, my improved tool tipped forwardly as shown, the abutment 26 held in position to be engaged by the wipers 14, and the cutting edge 24 placed in engagement with the crease in the margin of the upper material resulting from the use of the tool as a spreader during the wipingover operation. The last support 12 may be lowered slightly to bring the abutment 26 in line with the wipers 14. The wipers are then advanced, forcing the tool forwardly and shearing the surplus materials from the margin of the upper, at the previouslyformed crease. The wipers may thereafter again be actuated, after the removal of the tool, in order to take up any slack and smooth the upper firmly against the sole, where it is held while being secured in the usual way by tacks.

While my invention has been described in detail as carried out in connection with a machine of the type illustrated in the above cited patent, it is not the intention to limit it thereby.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That method of lasting shoes which. comprises gathering shoe upper mater'als and wiping them inwardly over the shoe bottom, placing a trimming tool in position to sever the surplus upper materials and to be engaged by upper gathering and wiping means, and operating said tool by movement of the gathering and wiping means to cause the tool to sever said surplus materials.

2. That method of lasting shoes which comprises gathering the upper materials ot' a shoe and wiping thcin inwardly over the shoe bottom, while simultaneously doubling the margin backwardly to indicate by a crease what portion of said margin should be removed, placing a trimming tool in engagement with the crease so formed, and actuating said tool to trim the margin of the upper materials along the line of the crease.

3. A tool for use in lasting shoes, comprising a handle, and a spreader section attached thereto, said spreader section bearing a cutting edge, whereby said tool may be used either as a spreader or as a trimmer.

4:. A tool for use in trimming off the sur' plus upper materials in a machine including wipers, comprising a trimn'ier portion to be. inserted between the wipers and the shoe bottom in engagement with the upper, and another portion to be engaged'by the wipers to force the tool rearwardly over the shoe bottom to trim the upper.

5. F or use in connection with a lasting machine having wipers, a tool having a cutting edge and constructed and arranged to be positioned manually in engagement with the surplus margin of the upper materials of a shoe after the upper materials have been wiped inwardly over the shoe bottom, said tool being so shaped as to he engaged and operated by the wipers to sever the surplus material upon a subsequent movement of the wipers over the shoe bottom.

6. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with members to gather the margin of the upper materials and wipe it inwardly over the shoe bottom, of a trimming device having a cutting edge to sever the surplus portion of the overwiped upper materials, said device being constructed and arranged to be engaged by the gathering and wiping members and operated by movement of said members.

7. In a machine for lasting shoes, the combination with members for gathering the margin of the upper materials and wiping it over the shoe bottom. of a trimming device to co-operate therewith comprising a portion to force the margin of the upper materials backwardly over said members during the overwiping operation, and a cutting edge, said device being constructed and ar ranged to be engaged and operated by the overwiping members to sever the surplus portion of the upper materials.

8. In a machine for lasting shoes. the comhinatioi'i with wipers having curved edges to gather the margin of the upper materials of a shoe and wipe it i,nv.-'ardl i-' over the shoe bottom, of a trimming device adapted to be operated by movement of the wipers and having a cutting edge curved to correspond to the curve o'i said Wipers at their inmost position, that the tool may engage With and trim the margin of the upper materials extending beyond the wipers at the end of their inward movement.

9. A. tool for use in severing the surplus upper materials at the toe of a shoe, comprising a trimming element having an angularly shaped portion adapted to be engaged by the edges of toe lasting Wipers for positioning the tool and operating it by movement of the Wipers, and a handle on said trimming element for controlling the tool during its operation.

10. A tool for use in severing the surplus upper materials at the toe of a shoe,- comprising a loop-shaped trimming element having a cutting edge thereon and a handle extending substantially at right angles to the plane of the loop, said trimming element having a portion shaped to be engaged by the Wipers of a toe lasting machine for imparting operative movement to the tool.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name to this specification.

LYMAN O. PICKETT. 

